Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, and Los Angeles Counties, CA
Philips Smart Poles
WMH has teamed with Philips Lighting to design and assist with the installation of Philips Smart Poles throughout several California cities. The Smart Pole is a new streetlight invented through the joint efforts of Philips and Ericsson that also acts as a wireless broadband hub (currently utilizing 4G/LTE radios). Smart Poles use efficient LED lights and also integrate a unique wireless energy meter created by PG&E. They are a 2-in-1 solution with minimal visual and spatial interruption to normal city activity and have been called the digital real estate for the Internet of Things. They improve mobile network performance, are capable of housing additional services in the future, and enhances mobile broadband user experience; a major step towards creating a connected smart city.
WMH led the effort for Smart Pole site selection and design in the Bay Area. These tasks included data gathering, conceptual planning, construction documents, and construction support. WMH assisted in the coordination efforts between Philips and city agencies to secure construction permits and ensuring seamless installation of the hardware while avoiding adverse impacts to existing infrastructure. As part of a pilot program to test the effectiveness of the technology, Smart Poles have been erected in San Jose, Los Angeles, Redwood City and Pleasanton adding much-needed bandwidth to north San Jose's clogged telecom infrastructure.